Onregelmatige

Onregelmatige is a Dutch adjective meaning not regular or deviating from a standard pattern. It is used to describe things that do not follow a predictable form, process, or schedule. In everyday language, onregelmatige describes irregularities in time, appearance, behavior, or phenomena, and it is also the common term in linguistic discussions for deviations from regular grammatical patterns.

In Dutch grammar, the term is especially associated with irregular verbs, known as onregelmatige werkwoorden. These verbs do not follow the regular conjugation rules and must be memorized for their different stems and endings. Classic examples include zijn (to be), hebben (to have), and kunnen (to be able to). Beyond verbs, the word can describe irregular nouns, rhythms, calendars, or any feature that does not conform to an expected pattern.

The word is formed from the negating prefix on- attached to regelmatig, meaning rule-based or regular. The related form geregular is rarely used in isolation; the common antonym is regelmatig or regelmatige when describing a regular form or pattern. In usage, onregelmatige often appears before a noun to indicate irregularity, and it is widely used across domains such as linguistics, music, and scheduling.

See also: regelmatig, onregelmaat, onregelmatige vormen. The concept has cognates in other languages, such as German unregelmäßig, and is part of discussions on irregularity in language, mathematics, and timekeeping.